Action toy



H. G. FISHER ACTION TOY Jan. 16, 1940.

Filed Sept. '21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVE ZNTOR flew? 02:2 6; 1 75/76?Jan. 16, 1940. F E 2,186,936

ACTION To Filed Sept. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENOR flew/*2 cm &(Fm/few ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1940 uNi Eo stares 2,186,936 ACTION'r-oY Herman G. Fisher; East Aurora, N. Y., assignor to Fisher-PriceToys, Inc., East Aurora, N. Y.

Application September 21, 1939, Serial No. 295,947

10 Claims. (01. 46-107) This invention relates to action toys, and hasfor one of its objects the provision of a simple and rugged toyembodying a novel and improved form of toy figure movement.

the specification herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of a toy embodying the invention;

10 Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the toy of Fig. 1 showing portions ofthe actuating mechanism thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a portion of the actuating mechanism of thetoy of Figs. 1 and 2; ll Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of amove: ment of another form of the toy of Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is asideelevation of another form of toy of the invention, showing the movingelements thereof in different positions; and

go Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 5.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the toy comprises a baseboard Illmounted upon traction wheels I2 by means of a transverse axle hi and .5suitable bearings (not shown). ihe axle 14 is of crank form as at 15,and engages thereat with the looped lower ends of links it for impartingmovement to toy figure limb velements. The upper ends of the links 20are pivotally 30 connected as at 2| to limbelements 22 which arepivotally mountedas by means of pins 23 at positions offset from thepivotal connections 2! upon a toy figure body portion iitwhich is fixedto the base plate. 35 Lower limb elements 28 are connected inarticulated manner to the oscillatable end portions of the upper elem ts22 as by means of pivot pins 30. At positions spaced from the pivot pins30 the lower limb elements are provided 40 with guide devices in theform of laterally extending staples 32 which are arranged to embrace thelink member 20 corresponding thereto in longitudinallyslidable'relationv Thus. upon rotation of the wheels l2 the links Allcause the 45 upper limbs 2Z'to oscillate about the pivot pins Otherobjects and 6 advantages of the invention will appear from response tothe crank action of the axle the components of the crank motion in foreand directions are transmitted to the intermediate portion of the links26 in the region of the guides 32 to a predetermined lessened extent,'5- and thus'the lower ends of the limbs 28 are given components ofmotion in fore and aft directions to such degree as to combine with thevertical motions thereof to produce a circular type 0 motion as viewedin side elevation.

It. will be seen that the ratio of the vertical to transverse motions infore and aft directions may be regulated as desired by varying theproportioning of the actuating elements. i i

For example, as illustrated in Fig. 4 and as distinguished from thearrangement of Figs. 1 and '3, the point of pivotal connection 2| may belocated closer to the pivot pin 23 to decreasev the amplitude ofoscillation .of the outer end of the limb 22, thus making the extent ofvertical movement of, the lower end of the limb 23 more nearly equal tothe extent of the fore and aft movement thereof; and it will thus beunderstood that there is available a wide range throughout which theconnection point 2! may be shifted relative to the pivot pins 23 andwhereby any desired type of curvilinear foot path-may be obtained. Morespecifically, Fig. 4 illustrates the connection point 2! as beingcoincidentwith the pivot pin Kill; and the elliptical path ofmo- 30 tionof a point on a foot portion of the low-er limb 2 1i is illustratedthereon by a broken line at 35. In such case the link 20 couldbe con- M,any other suitable form of motion impartingdevice may be employed; suchas for example,- direct pivotal connection of the lower ends of thelinks Zll to pins extending laterally irom the traction wheels at,points eccentric of the of rotation thereof.

Thus the foot portions of the limbs 28 are made to appear to move inpaths resembling typical peddling motions, and the most prominentlydisplayed elements of the'toy are moved in realistic and novelfiashionby means of a simpie and rugged structural arrangement. The crankportions of the axle M are illustrated herein as being opposed to oneanother, and hence the knees of the toy figure of the drawing will movein opposite directions or in out-ofphase relation at all times; but itwill be understood that the principle of the mechanism may be applied toother types of toy figure designs having one or more systems of movableelements and at any desired relationship with respect to other movableelements of such toys.

Fig. 5 illustrates another form of the invention wherein an upper limb40 is provided in a manner corresponding generally to the limb 22 ofFigs. 1 and 3; and is arranged to be oscillated about a point of pivotalconnection 42 by means of a link 44 connecting with a crank portion ofthe traction wheel axle. A lower limb member 46 is articulated to thelimb 40 by means of a pin 48, and the outer end of the limb 46 isarranged to be guided in its motion by means of a staple 50 and a rod 52which extends between and is pivotally connected to the pivot pin 48 anda supporting bar 56. The bar 56 is pivotally mounted upon the toy frameas at 58.

Thus, upon rolling the toy across a floor or other supporting surface,the traction wheel I2 oscillates the link 44 vertically through means ofthe crank arrangement and causes the limb 40 to oscillate about thepivot pin 42. This motion in turn causes the limb 46 to move with acompound motion, the inner end of the limb following the arc of movementof the pivot pin 48 and the other end of the limb 46 being guided bymeans of the rod 52 in a substantially straight line path of motion.Thus the limb 4! corresponds to the limb 22 of Fig. l and the rod 52corresponds to the limb 28, and a type of motion similar to thatprovided for in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 is arranged, but it will benoted that the action of Fig. 5 simulates in realistic fashion the elbowaction of an animated arm as in connection with the ringing of alocomotive bell 60, or the like. As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, thebar 56 may be provided of wire bent into an inverted U shape andprovided at its center cross arm portion with an inwardly bent U portion62 adapted to extend through an opening in the top portion of the bell60, formed by striking out portions 64 thereof. Prior to assembly of thebell 58 upon the bar 56 a bell striker 55 in the form of a metal barprovided with an opening therethrough at its upper end is threaded uponthe bar 56 in such manner as to be suspended from the U-shaped portion62 in freely rotatable relation thereon. The struck out portions 64 arethen hammered down into clamping relation upon the bar 55, and the bell80 is thus gripped upon the bar in such manner as to be rigid thereonwhereby reciprocation of the bar 52 will cause the striker 65 to:oscillate and contact the bell wall for the production of musical notes.

Attention is called to the novel formation of the link members 20 attheir upper ends in the region. of their pivotal connections with thelimbs 22. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the links 2|) are reverselybent adjacen the finger portions 2| thereof so as to extend the portions2| in each case laterally beyond the line of the link 20 toward the bodyportion 24' of the toy. Thus, guide means are provided for maintainingthe link 20 in spaced relation from the body 24 and for maintaining thefinger portion 2| in pivotal engagement with the limb 22.

Although the invention has only been described and shown by way ofexample herein, it will be understood that various changes may be madetherein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an action toy, a traction wheel, a toy figure, a limb-simulatingmember pivotally mounted upon said toy figure, a connecting rodassociated with said traction wheel and said limb member in such manneras to procure oscillation of the latter upon rotation of said tractionwheel, a second limb member articulated to said first limb member anddisposed adjacent said connecting rod, and a pair of abutments extendingfrom said second limb member at a position spaced from the point ofarticulated connection and embracing said connecting rod at oppositesides thereof in such manner as to coordinate the vertical components ofmovement of the outer end of said second limb member and the componentsof its movement laterally thereof in a predetermined manner.

2. In an action toy, a traction wheel, a toy figure, a limb-simulatingmember pivotally mounted upon said toy figure, a connecting rodassociated with said traction wheel and said limb member in such manneras to procure oscillation of the latter upon rotation of said tractionwheel, a second limb member articulated to said first limb member andhaving a portion extending therefrom, a guide member extending from saidextending end portion of said second limb member, and a guide rodpivotally mounted at one of its ends at said point of articulatedconnection and mounted at the other of its ends upon said toy figure inlongitudinally movable relation and slidably associated intermediatelyof its ends with said guide means in such manner as to maintain theextending end portion of said second limb member in a substantiallystraight line of motion upon rotation of said traction wheel.

3. In an action toy, a bell frame comprising a bent wire having anupright portion pivotally mounted at its lower end upon said frame and alaterally bent portion at its upper end, said laterally bent portionbeing bent intermediately thereof so as to form a U shaped projectionthereon, a bell striker journaled upon said projection portion, and abell having a top wall portion struck out to provide an openingtherethrough into which said projection portion is inserted, said struckout portion being bent in such manner as to clamp said bell framelateral portion against the top wall of said bell in rigidly mountedrelation thereon.

4. In an action toy, a traction wheel, a toy figure, a limb simulatingmember pivotally mounted upon said toy figure, a connecting rodassociated with said traction wheel and said limb member in such amanner as to procure oscillation of the latter upon rotation of saidtraction wheel, a second limb member articulated to said first mentionedlimb member, and guide means associated with said second limb memberadapted to maintain the outer end portion of said second limb member ina substantially straight line path of movement during operation of saidtoy.

5. In an action toy, a traction wheel having a laterally extendingcrank, a toy figure, a limbsimulating member pivotally mounted upon saidtoy figure, a link connecting said crank and said limb-simulating memberat a position offset from the point of its ivotal mounting, a secondlimb member articulated to said first mentioned limb second mentionedlimb member at a position spaced from the point of said articulatedconnection, said guide means being adapted to maintain the adjacentportion of said second mentioned limb member in a substantially straightline path of movement upon operation of said toy.

6. In an action toy, a traction Wheel having a laterally extending crankportion, a toy figure, a

movable member pivotally mounted at one of its ends upon said toyfigure, a link connected at its opposite ends to said crank portion andto said movable member at a position spaced from the point of saidpivotal mounting and laterally offset with respect to the line betweensaid pivotal connection and said crank portion, a second movable memberarticulated to said first movable member and extending from the point'of said articulated connection toward said crank portion, and slideguide means mounted upon an extending end portion of said second movablemember and associated with said link at a position intermediate of itsends, whereby a predetermined composition of oscillative movements'intransverse directions is imposed upon the extending end portion of saidsecond movable member.

7. In an action toy, a body member, a movable member mounted upon saidbody member and in spaced relation therefrom, alink member disposedwithin the space between said body member and said movable member andoperatively asso ciated with said movable member for actuating thelatter to different positions relative to said body member, said linkmember having a laterally offset portion extending into pivotalengagement with said movable member and a laterally offset portionextending into sliding engagement with said body member for guiding saidlink member relative to said body member and maintaining said linkmember in operative engagement with said movable member.

8. In an action toy, a traction wheel provided with a laterallyextending crank portion, a toy figure, a movable member pivotallymounted upon said toy figure, a connecting rod associated with saidcrank portion and said movable member in such manner as to procureoscillation of the latupon rotation of said traction wheel, a secondmovable member articulated to said' first mentioned movable member andhaving a portion extending beyond the point of said. articulatedconnection, and a closed yoke member mounted upon said extending portionof said second movable member and extending laterally thereof and intosliding engagement with said connecting rod, said extending end portionof said second movable tioned limb members, and guide means mounted uponand extending from said second limb members and loosely embracingelements of said con-' necting rod means for maintaining the outer endportions of said limb members in substantially straight line paths: ofmovement during operation of said toy. I

10. In an action toy, a traction wheel unit, a

toy figure, a plurality of limb simulating members pivotally mountedupon said toy figure, connecting rod means associated with said tractionwheel unit and said limb members in such manner as to procuresynchronized out-of-phase os cillative movements of said limb membersupon actuation of said traction wheel unit, second limb ter about thepoint of said pivotal connection. M

members articulated to each of said first menstraight line paths ofmovement during operation of said toy.

Y HERMAN G. FISHER.

